Patent GB-363395-A (GB)
Title: Automatic indicating system such as a stock quotation board
IPC: H04L12/18
Filed: 1930-09-11
Abstract: 363,395. Electric signalling systems. SMITH, C., 2501, South Virginia Street, Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS LABORATORIES, Inc., 67, Broad Street, Now York, both in U.S.A.) Sept. 11, 1930, No. 27130. [Class 40 (i).] In an indicating system such as for stock quotations, the indicators are arranged in groups, Q .. Q3, Figs. 5 and 6 (one for each stock), and any indicator is operated conjointly by (1) the rotation of one of a series of shafts, e.g. 507A, each common to corresponding indicators in the groups and set by magnets, e.g. 511-514, Fig. 4, energized in varying combinations by signals (quantity and price digits) over a line circuit 10, Fig. 1, and (2) the energization of a magnet, e.g. 623 individual to the indicator and selected by switches P .. P4, Fig. 3, controlled by magnets 330, 341, 342, 343 and 356.. 359 also operated in varying combinations by incoming signals (stock designations). In the stock quotation system described, preparatory signals over line 10 operate group relays 701, 47, 27 as required to switch in groups of control relays for price, quantity and stock designations respectively. Relay 701 connects up group J .. J3, one or more of which are operated by the preparatory signals to prepare registers N .. N3 for price signals which may be a fraction and 1, 2, or 3 digits; relay 47 similarly controls the quantity group H, H1, H2 and registers M, M1, M2, and relay 27 connects up the stock group F, F1, G, of which F, F1 prepare registers K, K1 for one or two letter stock designations, and G prepares register L which is to determine whether an " open," " high," " low," &c. indication is given. When a quotation comprises not more than a two digit quantity and a price consisting of a fraction and/or units digit, the stock being already shown in a previous indication, the four price registers N.. N3 are used, the circuits to the quantity registers being changed over to the first two price registers. The stock registers F, F1 set the switches P .. P4 through selective control devices, O, O1 Fig. 3, comprising the aforesaid magnets 330-343, 356-359 and the quantity and price registers M, M1, M2, N .. N3 set the indicator shafts under the control of somewhat similar selective devices R .. R6, Fig. 4. The circuits of the indicator magnets are closed over the price, quantity, and " open," " high " &c. registers and over contacts of the switches P .. P4. Construction of indicators, Fig. 7. A numbered drum 550 is loosely mounted on a common operating shaft 501A carrying a pin 655 co-operating with a cam 650 on the drum. To set the indicator the shaft is rotated to a selected position and the cam is forced into engagement with pin 655 by an individual magnet 629 to rotate the drum. It is immaterial whether the rotation of the shaft or energization of the magnet occurs first. Opening quotation; preliminary setting of the control circuits. It is assumed that a two letter stock in a quantity (1100-9900) represented by two digits at a selling price requiring three digits and a fraction is to be indicated. With distributer A normal, the price relay 701 is operated and when the distributer is started, a negative and a positive pulse come in over wire 10 to operate polarized relays 15, 18 in position 2, 3 of the distributer. Ground on 15B operates 45 which holds 701 during one revolution of A and ground on 18A operates 103 which removes ground from 31. As the price requires four indicators, four ground pulses come in over segments 4 .. 7 of A and pass over contacts of 701 to relays 712 .. 709 which hold to 701C and operate the second relays 724.. 721 of the pairs which close a circuit for 738 and lock up to wire 66 so long as A is off-normal. The lower of each pair locks the upper relays of all pairs on its right. The operation of 738 prevents re-operation of 701 and prepares circuits for the quantity group relay 47 and stock group relay 27. The distributer A has made one revolution and stopped. The next group of pulses (positive over 2 and negative over 3) operate 15, 18. When 15B swings over to A, 45, 103 and price group relay 701 fall back, and quantity group relay 47 pulls up, is held by relay 46 operated over 18B, and grounds wire 62 to hold the price control relays. The quantity is a two-digit figure so that two ground pulses come in over 4 and 5 of A to operate control relays 53, 55 (but not 57). The lower relays of the pairs pull up and lock.the upper ones to the right, the upper ones being also held to ground on wire 62. Guard relay 213 also pulls up to provide further holding circuits for the price control group and disable the operating circuit of 47. When the distributer next reaches normal, stock group relay 27 operates and two negative pulses come in over 2, 3 during the next revolution, so that 45, 46 are operated, quantity group relay 47 falls back and 27 locks up. Ground pulses over 4, 5, 6 operate stock control relays 23, 24, 31 which lock to ground on 62 and operate the lower relays 28, 29, 52 of the pairs, which interlock as previously described. Guard relay 77 also pulls up to provide additional hold for 31 and the quantity control relays. The distributer returns to normal. Stock selection. The stock designation is registered on switches P, P1 and P2, P3, P4 driven from motor 914 through slipping clutches 328, 336 and shafts 327, 335 which also drive selectors O, O1 set by the stock recording relay groups K, K1 respectively. The selectors O, O1 are of a kind used in type-printing telegraphy, and the setting of discs 301.. 304 freely mounted on shaft 318 determines which of a series of stop pins, e.g. 305, 306 stops an arm 307 on the shaft 318 and therefore stops switches P, PI in the required position. The discs 301 .. 304 are each set in one of two positions by pairs of magnets such as 330, 337, of which 337 is a zeroizing magnet. Switches P2, P3, P4 are similarly controlled by selector O1 During the next revolution of A, negative and positive impulses over 2, 3 operate 15, 18 and 44, 45, so that 103 pulls up to prevent any further operation of the group relays which have previously been released and ground pulses over 4 .. 7 representing the first digit of the stock, operate relays 37 .. 40 of group K, singly or in combination, the circuits of these relays having been prepared by relay 69, which operated when 23 released on the distributer moving off normal. It will be assumed that a single pulse over 4 operates 37 which locks up. At the end of a revolution of A, 28 falls back followed by 69 which completes the circuit of disc magnet 330 so that stop pin 306 is selected. Shafts 318, 346, 910 rotate until stop arm 307 reaches the pin, and wipers 308, 309 stand on second contacts. On succeeding revolutions of A the positive and negative pulses over 2, 3 are omitted since further operation of 15, 18 is not required. At the commencement of the next revolution, 24 falls back, 234 pulls up and ground pulses over 4 .. 7 operate relay group K1 and switches P2, P3, P4 advance in a similar manner, say to position 2, under the control of O1 after relay 29 has released at the end of the revolution. Guard relay 77 now falls back and permits 31 to release when A starts its next revolution. Ground pulses during this revolution operate group L, in this case 246, 247, 248 since open, high and low indications are required, 52 falls back at the end, followed by 245 so that ground is connected over B contacts of the recording relays, contacts of 313, 310, wipers 379, 380 of P1, 387, 388, 389 of P3 open, high and low operating magnets 630, 631, 632 which remain operated until the cycle of operations is complete. These magnets each control a set of four price indicators but separate magnets for each indicator may be used. Quantity selection. Guard relay 77 has now fallen back so that two sets of code impulses representing the two digits of the quantity come in during the next two revolutions of A and are recorded on groups M, M1 under the control of 53 .. 56 in a similar manner to that described for stock selection. It will be recalled that as only two digits are used in the present example, 57, 58 are not operated. Assuming that 266, 267 in group M are operated, a circuit is completed over their C contacts, contacts of 310, 313, wipers 399, 401 to magnet 629 of the quantity indicators, a similar circuit for magnet 628 being completed over the C contacts of operated relays in the M1 group. A circuit is also completed over the B contacts of group M for the code disc operating magnets 542,525 of selector R (of a similar nature to selectors O, O1 but with each disc operated by a single magnet and restored by a spring) which advances its shaft 501 to set the shaft 501A of indicator 550 which thus shows the first digit of the quantity number. Similarly, indicator 551 shows the second digit under the control of selector R1 and B contacts of group M1. During the rotation of the selectors R .. R6, shaft springs 517 send ground pulses to operate relay 519 for a purpose described later. Quantity indicator 552 remains at zero. Price selection and completion of indication. Guard relay 213 has been released and four sets of code impulses representing the price (three digits and a fraction) set the recording groups N1, N2, N3 under the control 709.. 712, 721 .. 724. The A contacts of these relays complete circuits over contacts of 313, 310 and wipers of the P switches for the price indicator magnets 623 .. 626, and the B contacts complete circuits for code-disc operating magnets of selectors R3 .. R6 which position shafts 504 .. 507 to set the price indicators 560 .. 563. At the conclusion of the last revolution of A, 724 releases so that 738 falls back since all the preceding pairs of control relays have been released. Ground at 738B is removed from holding wire 249, but a ground is maintained on this wire by slow-torelease relay 519 until after the price shafts have ceased t